1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cup shaped coffee filter housings, and more particularly to a combined filter housing, extractor and inserter.
2. Discussion of the Relevant Art
The applicant is aware of several devices that are designed to store and dispense cup shaped coffee filters.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,214,673 (Heath) there is disclosed a filter housing and extractor using an abrasive tipped arm to slide individual filters out of a housing.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,396 (Mamalou) there is disclosed a filter housing with a cover assembly using tongs to remove individual filters.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,848,815 (Molloy) there is disclosed an adhesive tipped device for separating an individual filter from a stack of filters.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,870 (Mamalou) there is disclosed a filter housing with a cover assembly using an inverted V-shaped pincer to remove individual filters.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,957,217 (Ritson) there is disclosed a filter housing with a cover assembly using an adhesive tipped rod to remove individual filters.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,097,984 (Meisner) there is disclosed a filter housing using an adhesive tipped plunger assembly to remove individual filters.
While the devices disclosed in the foregoing patents will remove individual filters from a plurality of nested filters, they leave much to be desired for various reasons. For example, after the individual filters have been removed from the nested stack of filters in the foregoing patents, they have to be inserted into a coffee maker receptacle by hand.
The devices of Mamalou are difficult to operate, requiring strong fingers and are subject to flexing fatigue in the gripping mechanism. They are not suitable for vertical mounting.
The device of Ritson requires a rotating motion of the cover to free and extract an individual filter and has no means of retaining a plurality of filters when this is done. It can not be mounted vertically.
The device of Ritson has a cover that does not protect the filters from outside contamination.
The devices of Meisner and Heath are extremely complicated and difficult to manufacture.
The device of Molloy does not provide for a covered housing for the filters.